Ignition trouble eliminator



May '-7, 1935 R. E. FARREN 2,000,830

ed Aug. l0, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INI mi www i fiabe/J Edward Far/fen,

NNNNNN OR 'May 7, 1935. R. E. FARREN 2,000,330

IGNITION TROUBLE ELIMINATOR Filed Aug. 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v n a;...vwo-

ATTQR NIV Hobs/l 'du/an Fhre/a Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT; OFFICE '2,000,830 4IGNI'IION TROUBLE ELIMINA'Ioa ltobert EdwardFarren, Revere, Mass. Application August 10, 1931,1Serlal No. 556,260 1claim. (cl. 12s- 148) This invention relates to ignition apparatus forautomobiles, motorboats or the like and has for its general object theprovision of a novel device for trouble or emergency purposes adapt- 5ed to Vbe connected with the ground, thebattery and the distributor headof the ignition apparatus of an automobile or the like for the purposeof enabling the motor to be run even though the ignition key may be lostor even though there i may be a number of defects present rendering theusual apparatus ineffective.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which may bemanufactured and sold as a complete and separate designed primarily lfor emergency purposes but which cannaturally, it so desired, be usedcontinually instead of the usual apparatus if such is found advisablefor any reason such as for example in the event of an irreparable defectin the distributor 0f vthe ordinary ignition system.

An additional object is to provide an apparatus of this character whichmay be built up of practically standard parts and which will thereforebe simple and inexpensive to make, the

t5 devicev being moreover easy to use, positive in action, eillcient anddurable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the inventionpreferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangementand combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing my devicewith the cover plate of the casing removed.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 oi' Figure l.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line I-S of Figure 1. Figure 4is a diagram of the electrical circuit,

and Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the elementssupporting the auxiliary spark gap device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my device ascomprising a suitable casing ill which may be formed of wood or anyother suitable, material, preferably of an insulating character, thiscasing being divided A interiorly into compartments il and I2 by meansof a partition I3. Located within the compartment Il is a conventionaltype of spark coil indicated as a whole by the numeral Il and which ispreferably surrounded by a Jacket I5 of insulatingmaterial. customarilysuch spark coils comprise a core I6 about which is wound a primary coillocated in inductive relation to a secondary coil which provides aninduced high tension current appropriate for creating a spark be'- 1 5tween the electrodes orl terminals of the spark plugs of an internalcombustion engine. Such a spark coil device il also includes a vibratoryarmature Il having a contact I8 cooperating with la contact I9 on anadjustable arm 2l, the arl0 rangement of these parts being such thatwhen vcurrent is passed through the primary coil of the device thearmature I8 will be attracted by the core I6 and will break the circuitbetween the contacts I8 and I9 so that the armature may l5 return to itsoriginal position, this action being very rapid and being simply in thenature of a vibration.

Located within the compartment i2 is a conventional type, of push andpull switch 2|, not 20 shown in detail and which has one terminal 22connected by a conductor 23 with a binding post 24 on the outside of thecasing l0, and which has its other terminal 25 connected by a conductor26 with one terminal of the primary coil of the 25 spark coil device i4.The other terminal oi the primary coil is connected by a conductor 2lwith the stationary contact 28 of an adjustable spark gap to bedescribed and with a binding post 29 on the outside of the casing i0. Itis customary 30 that one terminal of the primary coil be also connectedwith one terminal ot the secondary coil, and it is apparent thattheconductor 2l constitutes this common connection.

The adjustable spark gap device is also located 35 within thecompartment i2 and comprises a U- shaped support 30er insulatingmaterial here represented as mounted upon a block 3i secured within thecasing, the stationary contact 28 above referred to passing through onearm or leg of this 40 U-shaped member as-clearly indicated in Figure 2.The gap device further includes a metallic bushing or sleeve 32extending through the other y arm or leg of the U-shaped support 30 andhaving connected therewith a conductor 33 which 45 connects with theother terminal of the secondary coil of the spark coil device I l andalso with a bindingY post, on the outside oi' the casing I0. Threadedthrough the metallic sleeve or bushing 32 is a screw 35 having its freeend intended to 50 cooperate with'the free end of the stationary contact28 for the purpose of dening a spark gap. 'I'he adjacent ends oi' thecontact 28 and screw 3l are preferably tapered or of conical shape asshown. At its other end the screw .35 is 55 equipped with an adjustingknob 36 located exteriorly of the casing and journaled in anv opening 38in one wall thereof, the idea being that by turning the knob 36 in onedirection or the other the screw 35 may be advanced 0r retracted forvarying the spark gap distance between the adjacent ends of the contact28 and screw 35.

It is intended that the entire device when completed be assembled withinthe casing l0 which may be lled with a sealing compound if such isdesired but which is at least closed by means of a 'cover 38 so thataccess, may not be had to the interior for the purpose of tampering.However in the event of necessity the cover 38 might be removed so thatthere could be an adjustment made to the vibrator structure of the sparkcoil device lf3.

In the use of the device, it is intended that it be used in associationwith the storagebattery A, the spark plugs B and the distributor head Call forming part of the ignition system of the automobile or the like.It is well known that the stationary contacts of the distributor head Care connected by conductors D with the respective spark plugs of theengine. AIt is also known that thc storage battery customarily has oneterminal grounded by a conductor E. In using my device, it is necessaryto connect a conductor 39 with the binding post 2li and with the otherterminal of the storage battery A, to connect the binding'post 29 withthe ground G by means of a conductor 0, and to connect the binding post34 by means of a conductor il with the central terminal H of thedistributor head.

In the operation, it will be seen that current will flow from thebattery A through the conductor 3Q, through the switch 2|, primary coilof the spark coil device, binding post 29, and conductor 33 back throughthe ground to the battery. The secondary or high tension current inducedin the secondary coil of the spark coil device or vibrator will ow fromthe conductor 4| to the central contact H of the distributor head C andas the rotary arm of this distributor turns this current will besupplied to the successive contaots connected by the conductors D withthe spark plugs B of the engine, thereby causing the necessary ignitionto effect running of the cngine.

The spark gap is connected across the secondary and is adjusted toeffect such spacing of its points that the secondary current will beshunted to the ground, except when the movable member of the distributoris directly opposite any of the contacts thereof. By making the sparkgap adjustable, the proper spacing of its points may be effected toaccomplish this purpose. Thus, except in the proper positions of thedistributor, the ignition current will be shunted to the ground throughthe spark gap.

By reason of this arrangement, the' ordinary vibrator coil can be usedfor ignition purposes and no circuit breaker is necessary as on theconventional ignition. Therefore, should the circuit breaker get out oforder, or the ignition coil, or the condenser thereof in the usualvehicle equipment, the present invention may be substituted byconnecting the binding post 29 to the ground, the binding post 34 to therotary member of the distributor and the binding post 24 to theungrounded terminal of the battery, when ignition current will beimmediately available to the vehicle engine. Thus the invention providesan emergency equipment susceptible of use with the conventional motorvehicle equipment, in the event of damage or disarrangement of numerousparts of the ignition apparatus, as above explained.

Having thus described the invention I claim:

An emergency or auxiliary appliance for operating the ignition system ofan internal combustion engine independently of the usual ignitionswitch, the same comprising a casing, a spark coil of the vibrator typelocated within the casing and having primary and secondary windings ofwhich one terminal of each is grounded, the other terminal of theprimary winding being for connection with the ungrounded terminal of themotor vehicle battery and the other terminal of the secondary windingbeing for connection with the rotary member of the vehicle distributor,and a spark gap connected across the secondary winding and comprising aU-shaped member of insulating material mounted within the casing, astationary contact extending through one arm of said U-shaped member,and a screw contact threaded through the other arm of the U-shapedmember and having an operating knob located exteriorly of the casing foradjustment of the screw to eiect such spacing of the gap as will shuntthe secondary current to ground except when the movable member of thedistributor head is directly opposite any of the stationary contacts ofsaid head.

ROBERT EDWARD FARBEN.

